Rail-fastener.



I UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE.

'WILLIAM P. JOHNSON, OF KERRMOOR, PENNSYLVANIA.

` RAIL-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.l

Patented Jan. 1,1907.

4 Application iilll August 31,1906. Serial No. 332,774.

the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to rail-fasteners; and its object is to provide simple and effective means for 'securing railway-rails to metallic ties without the employment of bolts or nuts.'

Theinventionwconsis'ts in' the combination, with a metallic tie provided with suitable slots, of securing devices engaging the bases of therails and wedges within the slots of the ties for locking saidsecuring devices.

The construction of the improvement will be fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part, of this specification, and its novel features/'will be defined in the appended claim.

In the drawings, Figure- 1 is a view in per- .-spective of a mill-fastening embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of n the same., Fig. 3 is a top plan of the same.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of a modified construction. 5 is a perspective of one of the clamps emp oyed, and Figo is a similar view of a modified form of the locking' key;4

The reference-numerals -1 and 2 designate the meeting ends of two rail-sections, supported u on a metallic tie 3, formed on op-l posite si es of the rails with T-shaped slots 4..

.A clam ing-bar .5 overlaps the outer edge of the rai -base7 said bar having a depending angle-arm'a at each end to engage the'oppo'- site edges of the tie. vThis clamping-bar is held in place by T-shaped clamps 6, formed at their u per. ends wit lugs 7, projecting at light angles to the body of the clamp and overlapping the bar 5,.- Theoppositely-prof jecting arms at the lower end of the clamp bear'against the under surface of the. tie. The clamps 64 are looked in position by Wedgeshaped keys 8, which are preferably provided withl heads or iianges 9, as shown in Fig. 6, to facilitate their withdrawal. The clampingbar 5 is dispensed with on the inner side of the rails, and the lugs 7 of the -T-shaped clamps overlap the base of the rail, being locked in place by the wedge keys 8.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modification of the invention, adapted for securing rails to ties between joints. .This construction is the same as that already described, except that the rail-joint-clamping bar 5 is omitted, the lugs 7 of the clamps bearing directly on the base of the rail on opposite sides thereof. I have shown two slots 4 in the tie on each side of the rail l but only a sin le set of the clamping devices, including a c amp 6 and ke 8, might be employed, in which event on y one T-shaped slot would be required on each side of the tie.

The improvement provides a simple and reliable rail-joint, as well as a secure fastening for securing the rails to the ties between joints.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isf- The combination with the meeting ends 'of two rails, and a metallic tie formed with a plurality of T-shaped slots on opposite sides of the rails, a clamping-bar formed with end projections to engage the side edges of the tie, clamps fitting Within said slots, and having lugs overlapping said bar and the base of the rail,- and wedge keys for locking the clamps in position.

In testimonywhereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

E. W. FERGUSON, v LOREAINE FERGUSON 

